Pipe cleaning tool



l Sept. 21, 1937. R. G. SCHWARZ ET AL 2,993,819

PIPE CLEANING TOOL Filed 061;. 2l, 1935 r 'll/MC. lll/lll aum mc;

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Patented Sept. 2l, 1937 OFFICE PATE PIPE CLEANING TOOL Application October 21, 1935, Serial No. 46,004

2 Claims.

The invention relates to pipe clean out tools of the type used by plumbers for cleaning out or unstopping pipes, and has for its object to provide a device of this character comprising a head formed from a plurality of radial vanes, each vane having convexed outer surfaces merging into each other at a convexed nose and provided with cutting edges merging into the nose and forming means whereby when the head is reciprocated by a snake or other member the obstruction will be cut.

A further object is to provide the rear ends of the vanes with chain links, which links during the reciprocation of the tool will drag over the inner periphery of a pipe and dislodge material collected thereon.

A further object is to proportion the parts whereby the chain links will assume positions within the lines of the head for preventing jamming and wedging of the head within the pipe.

A further object is to provide the vanes with convex surfaces whereby the head will make bends in a pipe and will pass through fittings, such has elbows without catching on the corners of the elbows or pipe ends extending into the elbows.

A further object is to provide anchoring means whereby a flexible snake or other member may be attached to the head so that the head may be reciprocated within a pipe.

A further object is to provide in combination with a head of a clean out tool for pipes, linked members connected to the head and forming means whereby, during the reciprocation of the head, dislodged material may be worked rearwardly from the p-ipe.

With the above and other objects in View the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter set forth, shown in the drawing, described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a side elevation of the cleanout tool.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the head.

Figure 3 is a rear elevation of the head.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the cleanout tool.

Figure 5 is a bottom plan View of the clean-out tool.

Figure 6 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through a modied form of snake connection particularly adapted for a coiled wire snake.

Figure '7 is a further modified form of connection particularly adapted for use Where a wire cable snake is used.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral I designates the cleaner head which cleaner head is cross shaped as shown in front and rear eleva- 5 tions in Figures 2 and 3 and comprises a plu# rality of radially disposed vanes 2, the outer edges of which are convexed and merge into each other` at the forward end 3 thereby forming a convexed forwardly tapered head which will 10 not catch on obstructions within the pipe, for instance when the cleaner forced around a bend formed by an L into the arms of which the pipe ends are threaded, thereby presenting shoulders against which an ordinary cleaner engages 15 and is held. The forward curved edges 4 of the vanes are sharp as clearly shown in Figure 2, therefore it will be seen that when the cleaner head is recprocated in a pipe by the flexible snake 5 connected thereto, said edges will cut 20 away the obstructions. During the reciprocation of the tool, the chain links 6 connected to opposite vanes 2 will be dragged over the inner periphery of the pipe thereby dislodging solidifled material within the pipe for insuring a posi- 25 tive pipe cleaning operation. It will be noted that the chain links 6 are connected to the rear ends of the vanes 2 so that they will swing to positions within the lines of the head, consequently will not jam the tool in the pipe during 30 the reciprocating operation.

It has been found that where a cleaner is used involving a rotating movement for drilling out an obstruction, the device is ineflicient and that sufficient power can not be placed on the same where a long snake is used, to bore out the obstruction. In the present device after the head reaches the obstruction, it is rapidly reciprocated alongl with the snake, and this action causes the 40 cutting edges 4 to cut through the obstruction.

Referring to the modified form shown in Figure 6, the head is the same, however it is provided with a socket l for the reception of the end of a coiled wire snake 8. Set screws 9 are pro- 45 vided for attaching the snake end 8 to the head otherwise the structure is the same as shown in Figure 1.

Referring to Figure '7 the structure is the same as in Figure 6, however, a wire cable I0 is shown 50 as a snake.

From the above it will ce seen that a reciproeating clean-out tool is provided particularly adapted for cleaning out pipes and dislodging obstructions therein. The device is simple in construction and may be cheaply 'manufactured and sold.

The chain lines 6 form an additional function during the reciprocation of the tool, as they not only help the tool in its forward movement, but also during the rearward movementmove or feed dislodged particles rearwardly and drag the particles from the pipe when the tool is removed therefrom.

The invention having been set forth what is claimed as new and useful is:

1. A pipe clean-out tool comprising a head, said head having a plurality of radially disposed vanes, said vanes having their outer edges convexed and merging at their forward ends into a cross shaped nose, the nose portion of said vanes curving to an apex and sharpened thereby forming a cross shaped cutting member, a member attached to said head and forming means whereby said head may be reciprocated for cut? ting, dislodging, and rearwardly moving the deposited material in the pipe, linked members connected to each of said vanes at the rear ends thereof and within the lines of the head, said link members forming means whereby upon a forward movement of the head for a dislodging operation they will straighten out and upon a rearward movement their links will bunch adjacent the vanes and work dislodged particles rearwardly as the head is reciprocated.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the vanes are at right angles to each other, thereby forming relatively wide recesses through which dislodged material will pass to the bunched links for rearward movement upon rearward movement of the head.

ROBERT G. SCHWARZ. ADOLPH H. VORBUSCH. 

